Easy Home Decor Crafts

Fabric Wall Art

Make a triple trio of fabric-covered wall plaques to add spice and splash to a special space in your home. Designer Tari Colby wrapped three fabrics over artist's canvas squares and secured the fabric using a staple gun to make this quick, easy, and inexpensive textile display.

Although Tari used 6x6-inch prestretched canvases as the foundation for this project, you can use any size for your wall art. Cut fabric 1-1/2 inches larger than your canvas on all sides.

Wrap excess fabric to the back of the canvas frame, pulling it taut and smooth. Staple to the frame beginning at the center of each side and moving to the corners. Miter the corners and secure with staples.

For a finish that's impervious to dust and moisture, Tari recommends brushing two coats of decoupage medium onto the fabric surface.

Royal Throw

Feel like royalty wrapped in this beautiful faux-suede throw embellished with a screen-printed crown and delicate black trim.

Painted Sisal Rug

Add design dash to a jute or sisal rug with a color-block paint treatment. Bright color combinations such as the one shown are perfect for a playroom, work area, or dorm room. For a subtler tone-on-tone appearance, choose a combination of soft cream and deep taupe hues.

1. Using both widths of painter's tape, a yardstick, and the weave of the rug as a guide, mask off a pattern similar to the one shown. For this rug, we used 1-inch-wide painter's tape to mask off the horizontal stripes and 2-inch-wide painter's tape to mask off the vertical stripes. Painted stripe widths vary from 6 to 13 inches.

2. Dip the trim brush 1/4 inch into the paint color you're using for the upper-left rectangle, then pounce the brush vertically to fill in the section. Fill in the remaining blocks of the same color.

3. Repeat with additional paint colors until all the blocks are filled. Let dry; remove tape.

Painted Pillows

Painting on fabric for pillows is easy: Draw a design in chalk, then fill in shapes with fabric paint (or acrylic paint mixed with fabric painting medium) using a slightly dry brush and quick strokes to allow the canvas to show through. Painting a different design on each side makes the pillows conveniently reversible.

Fabric-Lined Chest

Resurrect an old beaded-board chest with a fresh coat of aqua paint to tie into the cottage-style color scheme of the bedroom and a lively fabric lining. Fold under the edges of a piece of fabric cut to fit and staple it to the lid. Do the same for each of the sides and the bottom of the chest's interior.

Colorful Candlesticks

Inexpensive and readily available online, unfinished wood candlesticks allow you to bring colors from your fabrics or wallpaper to your accessories. Stick with similar colors such as blues and lavenders for a more subtle display, or make a statement by using jewel tones in the grouping. Using a sponge brush, apply the stain over the candlestick. Wipe off the excess with a clean rag. For more intricately carved areas use a flat artist's brush.

Rub It On Wall Art

Felt Coasters

Draw together a room's colors with coasters made from circles of felt in different sizes. Freehand cut shapes or use a die-cutting tool. Tack the pieces together with simple stitches, adding beads to the embroidery floss for decoration.

Ribbon Bed Skirt

Bring color and interest below the bed with a ribboned bed skirt. Cut ribbons of various widths and colors 1 inch longer than the drop of a purchased skirt. Topstitch each ribbon along the top seam. Layer ribbons for more detail.

Painted Coasters

Leftover spray paint is perfect for making these coasters. Purchase corner blocks in the molding section of a home center. While spraying, set the pieces on small cans for easy access to all sides.

For durability, spray the painted blocks with polyurethane after they dry. Glue felt on the bottom to protect surfaces if desired.

Framed Fabric Display

Gather a few of your favorite fabrics and showcase them in an assortment of frames. Painting your frames all the same color will add unity to the collection.

Magnetic Memo Board and Tacks

A cookie sheet or jelly roll pan, minus the dough, doubles as a magnetic message holder. Measure your pan and cut scrapbook paper or wallpaper to fit. Use a corner rounder to round each corner of the paper. Secure the paper to the pan using double-stick tape. Back flat florist's stones with colorful images, and glue on magnets to hold your messages in place.

Fabric-Covered Organizers

Anna Maria Horner used her fabric to cover these old Fed Ex boxes and turn them into modern magazine holders. To replicate the look, cut the flaps off one end of the box. Cut off one corner of the box at an angle as shown in the photo. Wrap and fold the fabric around the box and secure with fabrics glue.

Colorful Wooden Bowls

Make a statement with a two-tone wooden bowl. Stain the inner and outer surfaces, using a sponge brush to pull color toward the rim but not onto it. When the stain is dry, lightly wipe the flat side of a sponge brush containing very little stain over the bowl rim (don't press). Clean up any color that runs over the rim with sandpaper and then reapply stain where needed. Decorate with your colorful bowls or store nonfood items in them.

Silk Scarf Room Divider

Simply stitch an assortment of beautiful silk scarves together to create a patchwork effect. Play with patterns and colors to get an attractive combination. Stitch scarves together or use iron-on fusible webbing to make a panel in the desired size. Turn the top edge back, and attach to form a pocket. Insert a dowel or rod, and hang the panel as a pretty room divider, canopy, curtain, or tapestry.

Decorative Orbs

Turn ordinary items into coffee-table decor. Easy to switch when your room changes, these foam or wooden balls are wrapped with ribbon scraps, old tape measures, and leftover scrapbooking supplies. Place them in a pretty bowl for display.

Fabric-Wrapped Picture Frame

Turn pieces from a broken frame into a new fabric-covered photo display. Cover a mat with batting and then fabric, securing the edges with hot glue. Cover the frame's cardboard insert with fabric and then glue the mat to the insert along three sides, leaving one side open to insert a photo. Connect two covered frames using ribbon as hinges, glued to the backs.

Hang It on the Wall

Hang the fabric-covered picture frames on the wall vertically for a new look. Create a custom frame to fit your decor or to give as a gift with a personal photo inside.

Embroidered Tea Towel

Make plain tea towels worthy of display by adding special touches. Flour-sack towels are incredibly inexpensive (find them online for $1 or less), and it's easy to add a basic hand-stitched design, making this the perfect project for mass production. Spend a weekend making a set for your table or churning out gifts for friends.

Trimmed Photo Frame and Box

Need an easy way to personalize a purchased item as a special gift? Trim a picture frame with leftover pom-poms and a photo box with rickrack and ribbon. Use adhesive dots to attach the pom-poms and double-stick tape for the ribbons.

Pretty Jewelry Holder

Transform a photo frame into a stylish home for your earrings. Remove the frame's back panel and decoupage the front of the frame with patterned papers. Staple wire mesh to the back over the opening. After embellishing, hang the frame on the wall or prop it on an easel.

Towel Table Covering

Cover your table in summer style by joining three bath towels trimmed in large rickrack. Wash and dry three bath towels and trims. See next slide for detail.

Sewing Towels Together

Sew the towels together catching just the peaks of the rickrack in your stitch. Launder on a gentle cycle and hang to dry.

Fabric-Covered Switchplate

Match your decor with this easy-to-make fabric-covered switchplate. See details on next slide.